21st Century

​John Williams​​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen in 2001/2002​

​Councillor Antony "Tony" Humphreys​

Councillor Michael Barrett

Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen 2003-04

Michael had dedicated himself for more than twenty five years to those struggling in poverty which earned him a nation wide reputation. He was an advocate of adult education after leaving school himself with no qualifications. Michael was born on the 14th. of February 1949 and grew up in Oxford Street, attending St. Matthews Church of England Primary School followed by Audley Secondary School which he left at the age of fifteen. He then, in the evenings, studied English language and commerce at Blackburn College which proved to be a spark for a distinguished academic and political career.

At the age of twenty nine he started a three year degree course at Preston Polytechnic and in 1982 graduated with a 2:1 BA Honours degree in Social Policy. He studied for more degrees with a BA in Social History and a Masters in Criminal Justice. These qualifications took him to work as a Housing Officer and part-time lecturer in London, Liverpool and Blackpool. He was a real fighter against injustice and stood up for those he represented - he was recognised nationally for lobbying the Government to combat poverty and spent the majority of his life working in housing especially with the homeless and voluntary groups. Michael was elected a councillor in Darwen in 1976 and had been chairman of finance, vice-chairman of housing, lead member for resources and anti-poverty strategy co-ordinator

Michael was a devoted family man, married to Moira and they had six children although two sadly died and they also adopted two of their grandchildren. Michael died whilst still in office in May 2004 at the age of fifty five.

Much of the above information is from articles in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph dated the 16th. of May 2003 and the 25th. of May 2004.

​Compiled by Janet Burke.

David Foster​​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen 2004-05

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Born in Blackburn in 1949, but lived in Darwen for virtually all his life. York. Educated at Holy Trinity Primary School, Darwen, Darwen Grammar School (where he was Head Boy) and Kings College, Cambridge University.  He graduated in Natural Sciences (Chemistry) in 1971 and trained for teaching at the University of York.

He has spent his professional life as a Science teacher.  He started his career at Witton Park High School, Blackburn and ibecame Assistant Head & Head of Science at Penwortham Girls' High School.

Councillor Foster became involved with politics from an early age.  His grandfather was Mayor of Darwen in 1963/4.  He was elected as a Councillor for Whitehall Ward, Darwen in 1990 and has served as both Leader and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group serving on most of the Committees of the Council including Education, Finance, Community & Leisure, Direct Services & Social Services.  He also served on the the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.  His major political interest is in developing and empowering local communities in order to give local people greater control over their own affairs.

Councillor Foster is active in a number of local organisations.  He is a member of Spring Vale Methodist Church and a Local Preacher in Darwen Churches Partnership.  He has a strong interest in sport having played at Darwen Cricket Club in his younger days and is on the committee of Darwen Football Club.  He was a football referee, officiating in the Blackburn Combination, Blackburn Sunday League, North West Counties League and the Central League.  He is interested in music, being a member of the Halle Concert Society and  refers to himself as a struggling amateur guitarist.

He is married with 2 grown-up daughters.  
Compiled from Mayoral Leaflet.

Councillor Yusuf Jan-Virmani 
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 2005-2006

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Born in Masaka, Uganda in 1955. He spent his teenage years assisting his father with the family business. In 1972 he and his family had to flee their country, leaving behind all their possessions and earnings. They arrived in England with nothing but £50 in their father’s pocket. 

Councillor Jan-Virmani moved to Blackburn in 1973 and studied Architectural Engineering and then took employment as a tax officer. He then assisted his father to set up their first petrol station in 1976 at Bottomgate. The family businesses gained a common name ‘Jan’s.’ In 1998, he set up Jan’s Conference Centre, but decided to devote more time to Council matters and handed over the management of the company to his wife, Sabira. 

In 1994, Councillor Jan-Virmani was elected as a Councillor, representing the Whitebirk Ward. Councillor Jan-Virmani has served as Chairman on Blackburn Transport, Audit Committee and Care and Repair. He has served on numerous committees as the Vice Chairman of Finance, Education/Youth Adult Training, Regeneration/Direct Services, Planning and Highways, and, as the Lead Member of Social Services. He has also served on outside bodies for North West Sports Council, Post-Office and Telecommunications, Prince’s Trust, Audley-Queens Park Surestart Board, E.M.D.A., Indian Workers Association, Blackburn with Darwen Indian Association, Kutchi-Turk Association. He has served on the Board of Blackamoor Special School, now Broadlands (at the time of his year in office) and Daisyfield Primary School. In 2005 he was Chairman of Finance at St. Thomas’ Primary School and was a Trustee of the East Lancashire Hospice. Councillor Jan-Virmani represented the Audley Ward. He has always played an active pivotal role in the community.

His genuine desire to help people and his passion to create unity, has enabled a harmonious spirit to be created in the community. He would like to see and aimed to facilitate a greater understanding between the many cultures that exist in Blackburn. Councillor Jan-Virmani has a keen interest in cars and is a devoted racing enthusiast. He enjoys playing volleyball and travelling. He can speak seven languages. He is married with two children.

Source: Mayoral Leaflet

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Dorothy Walsh​

Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 2006-07

Dorothy was born in Blackburn, into a family of seven children. She attended St Peter’s in Chains Primary School and then St Anne’s Secondary School on Princess Street, Blackburn, where she passed her scholarship. She should have gone to the Convent, but was unable to go due to unforeseen circumstances.

Dorothy was asked to train as a teacher in the Infants at St Anne’s Primary 

School, but started work at the Cherry Tree Spinning Mill. She worked as a Home Help for Social Services from 1961-1978, and, from 1979-1983 she worked in 

Quality Audit at the Royal Ordnance Factory on Stopes Brow in Lower Darwen. 

Dorothy married Tom and they raised six children. Dorothy who was a widow during her Mayoral year, sadly, also lost a daughter in 2000. 

Prior to becoming Mayor of Blackburn, Dorothy had been a Councillor for Blackburn with Darwen for more than 10 years. Initially, she was elected to the Brownhill Ward in 1994, and then represented Corporation Park Ward before serving the Higher Croft Ward. 

Over the years, she served on many community and voluntary organisations – including Chair of the Community Health Council until its abolition. With regard to her Council role, Dorothy held key positions as Lead Member for the Education and Lifelong Learning Portfolio and Chair of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and, prior to her Mayoral appointment, was the Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport. 

Dorothy committed herself to raising funds for disabled and disadvantaged children in the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen.

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Councillor Maureen McGarvey

Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 2007-08

Maureen served the Roe Lee Ward since the Council became a Unitary Authority, prior to this she represented Brownhill and Revidge Wards. She held the post of opposition spokesperson on Adults Social Care and has also been a member of the Planning and Highways Committee and served on various scrutiny committees.

Having enjoyed being involved with children’s services, adoption panels and children with disabilities she joined the committee of the ‘Make a Wish’ charity for children with life threatening illness. At the time of her mayoralty, Maureen was a Governor of Roe Lee School and vice chaired the ‘Friends of Roe Lee Park’ volunteer residents group, working hard and caring for the community.

She is a people person and cared passionately for the community and people she represented. Her hobbies, when time permits, include reading, sewing and spending time with her grandchildren.

Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

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Co​​uncillor Mohammed Khan O.B.E
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 2008-09

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Councillor James H. Hirst 
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 2009-10

 

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James Hunt Hirst was born at Darwen in 1928. During the 2nd World War he served in the Royal Corps of Singles. After demobilisation he took up a career in the printing industry in Wales and Hull. On returning to Darwen he acquired his own printing company, is final job was as managing director of Wardley's Printers Ltd. He met his wife Audrey during her career as a professional musician and concert singer. They were married in 1956 at St. Andrew's, Longton.  

The couple had two children Stuart and Ian and three grandchildren. After 56 years of marriage Audrey died in July 2013.

James was elected to the Council in 1994, representing Billinge Ward, and when the Council gained unitary status he represented Beardwood and Lammack.

Before it became a Unitary Authority James was a spokesman for the Economic Development on the Borough Council, he also represented the Borough on the national Regeneration Committee of the Local Government Association.

He was a Director of the Blackburn and District Enterprise Trust and represented the Council on the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for the North West of England and the Isle of Man. He also served on the management of the Darwen Old People's Welfare Committee and was vice Chairman of the Authority's Standards Committee. James Hirst was Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen between 2009 and 2010 with 

Mrs Maureen Pickup as the Mayoress.

James Hunt Hirst died on the 27th of November 2015 at Springhill Care Home, Accrington and was interred at St. Paul's Churchyard, Hoddlesden.

​​Councillor Zamir Khan ​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 2012-13

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Zamir was born in 1967, in Siakh, Mirpur (Azad Kashmir) near Islamabad, Pakistan and was brought to the UK  in 1968, settling in Blackburn. He attended Audley Primary School, Everton High and undertook further education at Blackburn College where he studied Sociology. He married his wife, Rahat in 1986 and they have seven children. 

Zamir is one of the founder members of the Queens Park and Audley Asian Forum. He qualified as an advisor through Citizens Advice Bureau and is also a qualified Community Interpreter (Level 2). Zamir was elected Councillor for Audley Ward, Blackburn in 2004 and he has served on various Committees e.g. Social Services, Planning and Highways, Licensing, Leisure, Finance, Education, and Audit. He works very closely with local community groups and locals schools within the Ward. He has served as a School Governor at Audley Nursery and Audley Infants and Junior School. Zamir is a Member of Audley and Queens Park Sure Start Board, a CRZ Board Member and has served on various Community Associations. 

Zamir also enjoys playing football, cricket and volley ball and has been a keen supporter of Blackburn Rovers since 1978.

Information from Mayoral Leaflet.​

​​​​​Councillor Salim Mulla​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2013-14

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​Salim was first elected to  Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in 1997 representing Queen's Park Ward. He is married to Sayeeda and they have five children, two boys and three girls. Cllr. Mulla was educated at St. Thomas's Junior School, Shadsworth High School and studied Business and Commerce at Blackburn College. Salim has worked at the heart of the community for the last 30 years. In the early 1970s, he helped to establish the first Muslim & Christian group, building a strong & prosperous relationship between the community. 

He was Chairman of the Sport and Leisure Committee on the Council for a number of years and, for several years, he also chaired the Regeneration and Technical committee on the Council. 

Salim has also served as an independent Advisory Member for the Lancashire Police Authority. He is also joint chair. of the Muslim and Anglican group with the Bishop of Blackburn, which he helped to establish. 
Cllr. Mulla is the current chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques. He has also been involved in the Queens Park & Audley Children’s Centre from the outset and has been chairman for about 5 years. He is a Governor of Audley Junior School and is a very active member of the community, not just in Blackburn, but throughout Lancashire.

Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

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 ​​​Councillor Alan Cottam​
Mayor of Bla​ckburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2014-15. 

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Councillor Alan Cottam was brought up in Bury and came to live and work in Blackburn as Chief Engineer at the old Sun Paper Mill Feniscowles in 1969. Both his parents originated from this borough, his father from Mill Hill and his mother from Edgworth. He has since lived and worked in Blackburn with his wife Agnes and two daughters who both attended Billinge High School. In his earlier life Cllr.Cottam served in The Royal Military Police in Cyprus during the Eoka crisis, as a personal bodyguard to the Commander in Chief of the Middle East Land Forces and,it was there,that he met and married Agnes, who was also a serving soldier. They have been married 54 years, most of which has been in Blackburn. 

Cllr. Faryad Hussain was first elected to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in 1999 and has represented Queens Park Ward for over 15 years. He is proud to serve as the Mayor and he would like to thank all the constituents of Queens Park ward for making this possible. 

​Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

​​​​Councillor Hussain Akhtar
​​​Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2016-17

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Councillor Hussain Akhtar was first elected to the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council  in 1997 and has represented Shear Brow Ward for over 18 years.  He has been an active member of the Labour party since 1970 and was seen as a key member of the late Barbara Castle’s team, and, more recently, that of Jack Straw. He is proud to serve as the  Mayor and would like to thank all the constituents of the Shear Brow  ward and the people of Blackburn with Darwen for making this possible. 

He is married to Tahzeem and they have five sons, one daughter and are the proud grandparents to ten grandchildren. Councillor Akhtar ran a very successful cash and carry business in the heart of  Whalley Range for over 40 years and now manages his property portfolio. 

Councillor Akhtar has worked at community grass roots level for over 30 years, helping  local residents, long before he became a Councillor. He has served on numerous committees including Education, Planning & Highways, Vice Chair of Licensing and as lead member for Leisure and Culture Services working with the then Leader of  the Council, Ms Kate Hollern. He has helped a great deal in community cohesion and building bridges with ethnic minorities.​​

Mayoral Charities: East Lancashire Hospice andThe North West Air Ambulance
Information from Mayoral Leaflet

​​​​Councillor Colin Rigby, O.B.E

​​Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2017-18​
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Colin was born in Oldham and lived in Colwyn Bay before moving to Bolton. Colin married Jean when he was twenty-ome and they have had two children.   After their marriage, they moved to Harwood and then to their home in Edgworth. Colin worked for eleven years with a Bolton Industrial Door Manufacturing Company in Southern Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Israel, Algeria and Tanzania. He then worked for a Canadian Company in the Ivory Coast (East Africa), building a sugar refinery. From there, he moved to Abu Dhabi running a company in the oilfield area for five years. He then returned home and started his own business which he ran for 30 years. 

Having been a member of the Conservative Association he was selected to stand as a candidate for a Councillor position and was duly elected in 1991. He has served on several Council Committees, and, in 2007, he became Leader of the Council, becoming the first Conservative Leader for some 50 years. Colin has recently served as Shadow Spokesperson on the Resources Portfolio dealing with the general financial state of the Borough. Locally, he is a Trust member responsible for Turton Tower, and, for 4 years was a member of the Barlow Charitable Trust and acted as treasurer during this period. Colin is looking forward to his new role as Mayor. Colin represents the North Turton with Tockholes Ward on the Borough Council. He will be the first Mayor from this Ward; a long overdue achievement. 

Colin was awarded the OBE in 2011 New Year’s Honours List.
​Mayoral Charities: East Lancashire Hospice, Bolton Hospice, Eve Appeal, Royal Navy & Royal Marine's Children's Fund

Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

 Mrs Pat McFall​​​​​
​​Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2018-19

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Councillor Mrs Pat McFall was first elected to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in 2002 and represents Little Harwood & Whitebirk ward where she works tirelessly with local projects. Pat was Chair. of the Children’s Centre for a long time and is non-voting member of the Community Centre Management Board.

Since being elected in 2005, Pat has been a Lead Member for Children’s Services, initially working for Schools and Education, and then for Early Years. More recently her current responsibilities involve overseeing services to Disabled Children within the Borough. She has served on numerous committees including Planning, Licensing and Education.  Pat works hard and with dedication for constituents and the portfolio which she is passionate about.
Pat is Chair. of the Strategic Domestic Abuse Group and works in partnership with other agencies to tackle domestic abuse.

Pat has four children and seven grandchildren plus four great grandchildren.

Pat believes it is an honour to serve as Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and is looking forward to the year ahead.​​
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Mayoral Charities: 
Domestic violence services • Blackburn and District Without Abuse (BDDWA)  • Changing Lives. Changing Lives support women, men and children who are affected by domestic violence or domestic abuse in the Borough. • Humraaz Humraaz Support Services provides confidential specialist support to Black and Minority Ethnic women who are experiencing Domestic Abuse and all forms of Harmful Traditional Practices. 
Derian House Children’s Hospice
Nightsafe 
Cherished Gowns. Cherished Gowns UK provide the families of babies that are stillborn, miscarried or pass away shortly after birth, with items of clothing that they are able to be dressed in for their funeral. ​

​​Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

Councillor Jim Shorrock​​​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2019-20
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On leaving school, Jim worked at G.E.C. Engineering in Clayton-le-Moors, before joining the R.A.F. in 1979. He served six years as a Steward working in Officers and Senior N.C.O’s Messes, and on V.I.P. and Royal Functions.

Having been brought up in the Licensed Trade from a young age, Jim then pursued a career running several Public Houses in the borough, including The Horseshoe in Darwen, The Globe Inn and The Courts Hotel.  Jim served as Treasurer and Chair. of Daniel Thwaites Tenants Association in the mid 1990’s, and, as a Member of Blackburn Licensed Victuallers and as North-West Parliamentary Representative for the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations.

In 2001, Jim then took up a new career with ISS Facility Services Ltd, serving in several job roles, including, most recently, as a Training Manager.

In 2004, Jim was elected to the Council, representing Shadsworth with Whitebirk Ward, and, more recently, Blackburn Southeast, for the Labour Party, holding several positions including Chair. of Policy and Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee for most of that time.  He also serves as a School Governor for both Shadsworth Infants and Junior Schools.

In 2012, Jim achieved the title of Fellow of the British Institute of Innkeeping, recognising his many years in the Licensed Trade.

Jim is looking forward to his Mayoral year, ably accompanied by his Consort Mark and Mayoress Linda.
​THOMAS, Derian House, Every Action Has Consequences, Youth Action 

Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

​​​Councillor Iftakhar Hussain​​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2020-21
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Councillor Iftakhar Hussain was first elected to serve for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in 2004.  He has represented the Bastwell and Daisyfield ward for over 15 years and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his constituents.

He has served on many committees incluing: Licensing where his position was as Chair., Planning Committee, Scrutiny Committee and under the Culture and Leisure Department, when he was elected Lead Member for that service. He is proud to serve as the Mayor and would like to show his gratitude to all the constituents who made this possible.

Councillor Hussain moved to Blackburn at the young age of nine, he went on to study at Pleckgate High School and then Blackburn College. He has been married to Sabiran for over 30 years; they have three sons, two daughters and are proud grandparents to three grandchildren.

Councillor Hussain was successful within the catering industry in his younger years and has also worked at the Citizen's Advice Bureau which allowed him to help many residents across the Borough over the years. he has worked diligently with many organisations and community groups, and especially enjoyed his time as Vice Chair of the Mela Committee during the Millenium Celebrations.  He has strong moral and regularly finds time to get involved in various charity functions and proactively helps raise funds for those in need.

Councillor Hussain is very keen on keeping up with sports, especially cricket and football.  In his free time, he enjoys expanding his knowledge through reading history books.

He is very humbled to achieve the role of Mayor and is looking forward to making the most of the opportunity and enjoying the year ahead.

Information from Mayoral Leaflet.

Councillor Derek Hardman​
Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 2021-22